Redemption
by Yeeter of Eberron
Summary: The young elven criminal Mella, an agent of the Xanathar Guild, must learn to change his ways.
1. Escape

A small, humanoid figure slid into the alleyway. It fingered its dagger uneasily as it approached a pile of boxes crawling with rats. "Zasheir?" A quivering voice whispered. "I got it, Zasheir."

"You always do, my little helper!" A raspy voice laughed from the boxes. The common rats darted out of the way as a lanky human crawled out of them. "Let me see, boy!"

The young humanoid pulled back its hood to reveal the face of a dirty elven child. The elf pulled out a small case from within his clothes. Zasheir snatched the box from the young boy and opened it, revealing a shining gold necklace. "Yes, Mella! You never fail to please!"

Mella grinned happily. He was always happy to please his boss, an agent of the Xanathar guild. Zasheir tossed the young elf two gold coins "Here's your payment, kid!" The boy gawked at the money and hurriedly put it in his pocket.

Just then, two of Waterdeep's city guard came racing down the alley. "Get over here, you filthy thief!" One of them yelled. Zasheir's head snapped to the side and a look of horror crossed his face. He darted into the open sewer, leaving Mella.

" No! Zasheir!" Mella screamed. "Help me!" Arm outstretched, he leaped forward. He almost made it, but the guard's hand clamped around the young elf's arm, yanking him back.

The guard holding Mella's arm looked down at him, then noticed the small wooden box on the ground that Zasheir had left in his hurry to escape. "Stupid boy!" The guard laughed. "Did you not think that we would find you?"

Mella's response was a surprising one indeed. He twisted his arm, freeing himself of the brute's grasp, then ran out of the alley- only to find three more guards waiting for him. He considered his chances, then he eyed the guard farthest to his left. The little elf pulled out his dagger and recklessly charged at him.

The guard stared in confusion for a split second, then leaped out of the way, screaming. Mella ran past him, deftly dodging the arrow fired by another guard, and darted into a throng of humanoids. The guards tried to pick their way through the crowd, but the young elf was much faster.

He'd gotten away, as always


	2. Breaking

Mella quietly slunk through the streets, looking for his target. The second the elf saw a harried half-orc glancing around nervously as he walked, he knew that his innate talents had helped him again. The previous assassin had failed, but Mella never did.

The dagger slid into the half-orc's back cleanly, as did a hand crossbow bolt that quickly joined it. He was dead before he hit the ground.

The elf did not smile at the perfect assassination. This half-orc, Shamog, was not a bad man. He had simply made the Xanathar angry. And when you make the Xanathar angry, you die.

As he strode back towards the more civilized parts of Waterdeep, he pulled down his cloak and was cheerful and polite to everyone. It was a facade, of course, but a smiling elf with seemingly nothing to hide does not seem as suspicious as a cloaked, rude one.

Mella's eyes drifted, and he spotted two of the Waterdeep city guard. He barely resisted the great urge to kill them both. The city guard had killed his mentor, Zasheir, and the elf wanted revenge. He had drained the life from so many of them, but his thirst for their blood was never slaked.

He continued on, his friendly greetings slightly less sincere. Then, the elf happened to glance at a small gnome wearing a green coat over her otherwise black attire. It was Tana Turen, otherwise known as Teetee.

"Teetee!" Mella exclaimed. "You're back! Why didn't you tell me?"

"How was I supposed to?" She laughed. "I just got here!" She ran up and hugged the elf, and he hugged her back.

"How have you been, Teetee?" Mella asked.

"Great! And how are you, Em?" This was what Tana called Mella, for she was very fond of nicknames.

"Same as you!" The elf said happily. "Just finished another...um...job for the Xanathar Guild! I did it perfectly!"

"Oh, Em! You know how I feel about those things!" Tana protested.

"Sorry..." Mella mumbled.

"You really should leave them." Tana said quietly, for agents of the Xanathar Guild were everywhere. "Neither of us like them or what they do, and you could make an honest living doing something else."

The elf just shook his head. "You know what would happen to me. The Xanathar would hunt me down to the ends of Faerûn!" The thought sent a shiver down his spine. He remembered what happened to Zasheir when he tried to leave. The Xanathar sold him out to the city guard, who made him into an example for criminals. His skull still stood in front of the city guards' headquarters.

Tana noticed a small bird that was acting peculiarly, hopping around in small circles near their feet. "Well, that's unusual." She muttered.

"What?" Mella fingered his dagger nervously.

"This bird!" The gnome said. "It's acting strange."

The second Mella saw the bird, his dagger came out of his belt and toward it. The bird was too fast though, hopping away toward a crowd. Then, Tana gasped, for the bird morphed into an elf slightly younger than her companion, then ran into the mob.

"What was that?" She cried.

"That was Ara." Mella groaned. "An aspiring druid- that is, he was until the Xanathar got to him. Now he's the best spy in the guild. We have to leave Waterdeep."


End file.
